With the probable exception of Dr. Luke, the biblical authors were Jewish. Therefore, the Hebrew word for “faithful” (and “faith”) influenced their biblical writings. A word related to this Hebrew word is still used at the end of prayers. We end prayers with “amen” meaning that we can have “…certainty and assurance in the Lord to whom we pray.”[1]

 

Non-Theological Word Pictures of Faithfulness

Several non-theological uses of the aman word family illustrate their definition of faithfulness. They also illustrate that faith means to trust, to depend, or to rely on one who is faithful.[2]

Moses in Numbers 11:12, 14 used the aman word family. In complaining to God of the way he was treated by the children of Israel, Moses told God, “…I alone am not able to carry all these people” (v. 14). Faithfulness can be pictured by carrying and caring for a helpless infant. Ruth 4:16; 2 Samuel 4:4; 2 Kings 10:1; Esther 2:7; Isaiah 49:23 and 60:4 all use aman to describe carrying around a helpless needy infant or generally caring for a child as a guardian. Moses used the word aman in Numbers 11:12 to picture a nurse that “… carries a nursing infant.” To place faith in a faithful God pictures us as needing help like a baby and crawling up into God’s arms to carry us to safety.

Jeremiah 15:18 uses a negative with this word for faithful. This verse refers to a deceptive stream with unreliable water. The opposite of an unfaithful stream would be one that always has life-giving water. To consider God faithful would mean He always gives spiritual water. To have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is depending on Him to give the water of life.

Isaiah used the aman word family (faithfulness) of nails/pegs that will not pull out. Isaiah 22:23 teaches depending on God is like trusting in a nail/peg that will not pull out leaving us to drop to the floor. Putting faith in a faithful God is like hanging on a “peg in a firm place” (Isa 22:23). Placing saving faith in a faithful God means we can safely hang our soul’s eternal destiny on Him. As Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ can be depended on to be faithful like a peg that holds pictures, home décor, coats, firmly up. Faith in the Faithful One means to entrust eternal destiny upon the Faithful One. He will not let us fall to the ground or break.

Second Kings 18:16 used aman (faithfulness) of the doorposts in Solomon’s temple. These doorposts held up the temple’s frame. Teaching that God is faithful means God will support all who build their lives on Him. God’s faithfulness means He will keep us secure without collapsing. Faith in God means depending on Him as life’s structure.

A fifth and final non-theological usage of the aman (faithful) word family may be found in Nehemiah 13:13. There is a reference to reliable managers of the Lord’s storehouse. Today we would say dependably keeping good inventory. God being faithful means God keeps good records and will never be dishonest or cheat. Faith means trusting God to be faithful and always giving us reliable trustworthy information.

Secular word pictures of the Hebrew word Great Is Your Faithfulness family for faithfulness help clarify its definition. When applied to God, He carries and cares for us like helpless babies. He is faithful like a reliable stream that always will be full of lifegiving water. God is like an unbreakable hanger on which we can hang our lives. He is an unbreakable structure on which we can build our lives, and He keeps reliable records. Placing faith in Him means to depend, rely upon, entrust ourselves to His faithfulness. This starts with saving faith in the risen Son’s death on the cross for our sins. Initial saving faith is to get up in His arms like helpless babies to carry us to eternal life. Then living faith in God means to have day by day trust that He is faithful.

Non-theological uses of aman (faithfulness) give helpful word pictures of its meaning. Of course, more verses directly apply faithfulness to God.

 

God’s Faithfulness in the Old Testament

Moses wrote God is “a God of faithfulness…” (Dt 32:4). He had just used an illustration of “the Rock.” Comparing God’s faithfulness to a “rock” shows we can build our lives upon the Rock. This relates to the above word picture of faithfulness being like a dependable doorpost in the temple (2Ki 18:16).

David was thinking about nature as he wrote the musical lyrics of Psalm 36:5-6. He made references to the heavens, mountains, and great deep. He wrote, “Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” As far as we can look up to God, His faithfulness extends even further. In Psalm 40:10; 89:5, David again declared God’s faithfulness in public to a great congregation (Ps 40:9). In Psalm 143:1 David prayed and asked God to “answer me in your faithfulness…”.

The scribes did not suggest the author of Psalm 92. They did think the whole nation of Israel should sing about God’s faithfulness on the Sabbath. “It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare… Your faithfulness by night with the ten-stringed lute and with the harp with resounding music…” (vv. 1-3).

 

God’s Word as Faithful

The Old Testament teaches us in general that God is faithful. Of course, a specific application is that God’s Word is faithful. Faith in God’s faithful Word means to depend that His Word is dependable. It means to trust that His Word is trustworthy. (We might say we give our “amen” to His Word that is an amen). Sometimes this word family for “faithfulness” is translated by other English synonyms such as “sure, steadfast, or established.”

God’s Word is “sure” in Psalm 19:7. God’s Word is “confirmed” in Psalm 93:5. “All His precepts are sure” (Ps 111:7), which also means faithful.

Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem about the Word of God. Because of this, we would expect several verses that state that God’s Word is faithful. Psalm 119:86 says, “All your commandments are faithful.” God’s Word is “forever, O Lord settled in heaven.” Therefore, “Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations…” (Ps 119:89-90). Psalm 119:138 says, “You have commanded your testimonies in righteousness and exceeding faithfulness”.

Since all of God’s Word is faithful (reliable, dependable, trustworthy) about all topics, His promises are also faithful. Faithfulness involves always telling the truth about any subject but also always telling the truth about His covenants and promises.

 

God’s Promises as Faithful

Moses wrote about “…the faithful God who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation…” (Dt 7:9). God is faithful and will keep His promises to all of us.

King David’s response to God’s promises was that God’s promises be established forever (1Ch 17:23). This means God’s promises will be faithful forever. Later at the temple dedication Solomon in public prayed, “…let your word be confirmed” pointing to the faithfulness of God’s promises (2Ch 6:17).

God Himself told of His faithfulness to keep the Davidic covenant in Psalm 89. The Hebrew word family aman can be translated as “confirmed” or “established,” as in verses 28 and 37. The teaching is that God will keep His covenant to David. This shows the Independent Fundamental Churches of America is correct to have a future for Israel in its doctrine.

Of course, even the Old Testament refers to God’s salvation plan for the entire world using references to God’s faithfulness to keep His promises. In Isaiah 49:6-7 the Messiah will be a “… light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” The “despised one” will be worshipped by all nations because God had chosen Him and the LORD is “faithful” (v. 7). In Isaiah 55 God invites all who are thirsty to come and drink of salvation without cost. He will give them an “everlasting covenant.” He will be faithful to keep His promises to all who trust His Son “according to the faithful mercies shown to David” (v. 3).

God is faithful—He is dependable, reliable, and trustworthy in the Old Testament. “Abraham believed God [from the aman word family], and it was counted to him for righteousness” (Ge 15:6).[3]

 

God’s Faithfulness in the New Testament

Growing up in Factoryville Bible Church (Athens, MI), I would see Revelation 1:5b on its front wall every Sunday. The first part of this verse gives Jesus the title of “The Faithful Witness.” The Lord Jesus Christ is “…the faithful and true Witness” in Revelation 3:14. He gave the world doctrine and ethics that are faithful—trustworthy, dependable, and reliable. The Lord Jesus Christ will be faithful in keeping His promises to forgive and save all who trust in Him. He will also be a faithful witness to all other promises.

We can “hold fast the confession of our hope… for [or because] He who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:23). First Thessalonians 5:24 includes teaching about God’s faithfulness in salvation promises but also all promises at the Second Coming. “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”

Jesus was and is a faithful witness to the truth. In addition, Jesus was and is faithful in doing all of God’s work. This assuredly includes His work to offer salvation now, but He also now works in leading believers in worship and closeness in the presence of God.

 

Jesus as Our Faithful Worship Leader

As our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ was “…faithful to Him who appointed Him” (Heb 3:1-2). As God’s attribute of faithfulness caused the prophet Jeremiah to give Him glory, Jesus’ faithfulness should cause us to give Him glory. Hebrews 3:3 says Jesus’ faithfulness leads to Him getting “more glory” than Moses or any other human.

The Lord Jesus was faithful in His finished work on the cross. He is now faithful as our worship leader bringing worshipers into the presence of God.

 

God’s Faithfulness in Trials and to Forgive

“God is faithful…” in not letting us be tried and/or tempted beyond our ability to endure (1Co 10:13). We can endure all trials. Concerning temptation, it is true we will not be perfect. “We all stumble in many ways” (Jas 3:2) and “If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves…” (1Jn 1:8). The Bible teaches we will sin. Yet, it also teaches we need not give up as we are no longer slaves to sin (Ro 6:14). Believers are very much still able to sin. Yet, we are able not to sin. God is faithful to give strength and “deliver us from evil” in any temptation (Mt 6:13). God is faithful in the trials and temptations we face.

However, another familiar use of the word “faithful” involves forgiveness when we do sin. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).

Most times before communion I explain how those forgiven of all sins by faith still need continued forgiveness by confession. As our Judge, God has already forgiven believers totally: past, present, and future. Believers will not “come into judgment” (Jn 5:24). This means God as Judge will never condemn us with the death penalty. This has been fully settled. Believers are fully forgiven and stand clothed in Christ’s righteousness before God as Judge (Jude 24). Yet, after salvation by faith, God becomes our Father.

Forgiveness before God as Judge has already taken place for all who have faith in the faithful Savior. However, we may still need forgiveness before God as Father. He would never condemn believers as a Judge, but He might still chastise/discipline as our Father. Forgiveness before our Father comes by confessing sins to God. God is faithful to forgive the sins of His children when we confess and will not need to discipline us as children.

God’s Faithfulness in the End-Times

Some verses refer to God’s past faithfulness. Others refer to God’s present faithfulness. Finally, God will be faithful in the future. The Bible closes with the Apostle John’s visions of God’s future faithfulness. When our King returns, one of His names will be “Faithful and True” (Rev 19:11). He will keep all His warnings to those who reject Him. He will keep all His promises to those who accept Him as Savior.

Because Revelation 21:5 commands, “Write for these words are faithful and true,” I have chosen to read it at every graveside service for forty years. The heavenly city will come down. There will be no more crying or death. God will wipe away all tears from our eyes.

For unbelievers, these statements seem just like psychological nonsense to help us with bereavement. However, each must decide whether Jesus told the truth or is a liar. The assertion that the Lord Jesus is reliably “faithful and true” should cause everyone to decide if He told the truth. That the Lord Jesus Christ told the truth is far easier to accept than that He lied. Faith ends up making a reasonable choice because God is faithful.

 

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ENDNOTES

[1] R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Bruce K. Waltke, eds., Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1980), 52.

[2] See B.B. Warfield, Biblical and Theological Word Studies (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, reprint ed., 1968), 428-44.

[3] For a detailed study of “faith,” see Steven Waterhouse, Not By Bread Alone: An Outlined Guide to Bible Doctrine, (Amarillo, TX: Westcliff Press, 5th ed., 2017), 130-66. Book/research files can be found at www.webtheology.com.